A NOTE ABOUT USING & MAKING FRESH VEGETABLE & MEAT MARINADES

Marinating tenderizes lesser cuts of meat like fajita beef skirt by soaking meat in a liquid containing an acidic base like wine, vinegar or citrus juices [lemon, lime, etc.]. It also plumps up vegetables with liquid which helps prevent them from drying out during grilling.

Always use glass bowls or shallow baking dishes to marinade meat and vegetables. The acid in the marinade can react with metal and plastic and leech chemicals into the food. Earthenware containers are porous and fired at low temperatures, the acid in the marinade can seep into them and react with the metals in the glaze allowing them to leech into the food.

Use 1/4C to 1/2C of marinade for each 1 to 2 pounds of meat and for every 2-4 cups of fresh vegetables.

Always marinate meat covered in the refrigerator, never at room temperature. Turn meat at least once while marinating.

Marinate 15 minutes on each side or up to an hour per side, or until the marinade penetrates about one-fourth inch below the foods surface. Meat and vegetables can be marinated up to 24 hours, longer and they turn mushy.

Never use the same plate or utensils for raw meat and cooked meat. To use meat marinade as a basting sauce, immediately bring to a rolling boil on the stove top and boil for at least 1 minute after removing from the refrigerator.

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MARINADES, BRINES, AND RUBS?

MARINADE—is a mix of an acidic liquid like wine, vinegar, and/or citrus juice and it contains no salt and usually no sugar or other sweetener.

WET BRINE—is essentially a marinade without oil plus it’s got a high salt content, with most brine recipes calling for a ratio of 1 cup of salt per 1 gallon of water. Most wet brine recipes also call for sugar.

DRY BRINE—is a meat or vegetable dry rub with salt added. It usually contains sugar or another sweetener that caramelizes during grilling to form a crust on the outside of the meat. Grill masters call this the “bark”.

DRY RUB—is a salt-free and sugar-free mix of dried herbs and spices.

WHY GO TO THE TROUBLE TO WET BRINE?

Wet-brining is considered a lot of work by some and is often reserved for the holiday turkey. Dry brining is a quick and easy compromise to everyday brining and becoming more and more popular. Due to its high salt content, brine increases a meats “juiciness” by attacking the protein structure of the meat itself.

By breaking the protein structure of the meat down, extra water and flavors get trapped by protein during brining. This extra moisture and flavor is retained during cooking, making the finished meat tender and juicy

General brining times are 24 hours for a whole turkey, 3-4 hours for a whole chicken, 30 minutes for shrimp, and about 10 minutes for fish fillets [with thicker filets brined a little longer].

BASIC MARINADE

INGREDIENTS

1-1/2C Wine—sulfate free, *see note

1C Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/2C Fresh Lemon or Lime Juice

4 Cloves Garlic, sliced in half

1 Onion, for seafood *see note

1 Bell Pepper, for spicy hot, *see note

Fresh Herbs or use dried, *see note

Optional Additions – *see note

DIRECTIONS – mix all ingredients. Place meat or veggies in a single layer in a shallow glass baking dish. Pour marinade on top. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes, turning once. Up to 2 hours, turn more frequently.

NOTE – please see below for suggestions and optional additions, based on what you’re grilling.

CHICKEN MARINADE

Use a dry white wine like chardonnay plus fresh rosemary, sage, and basil. For spicy hot, use a few hot peppers in addition to or as a substitution for the bell pepper. These peppers work well: jalapeno, Serrano, Chili Pepper. Try habanero or Scotch Bonnet peppers for a super-hot marinade. You can also add red pepper flakes and/or chipotle pepper.

BEEF MARINADE

Use a hearty red wine like merlot or cabernet sauvignon. And strong herbs like bay leaf, oregano, rosemary, and thyme. Also, throw in 5-6 peppercorns. For spicy hot, use a few hot peppers in addition to or as a substitution for the bell pepper. These peppers work well: jalapeno, Serrano, Chili Pepper. Try habanero or Scotch Bonnet peppers for a super-hot marinade. You can also add red pepper flakes and/or chipotle pepper.

SEAFOOD MARINADE

Use a light, dry white wine that won’t over power the delicate flavor of seafood. Omit onion and pepper. Try using fresh dill weed and lemon zest. For spicy hot, use a few hot peppers in addition to or as a substitution for the bell pepper. These peppers work well: jalapeno, Serrano, Chili Pepper. Try habanero or Scotch Bonnet peppers for a super-hot marinade. You can also add red pepper flakes and/or chipotle pepper.

VEGGIE MARINADE

Try using coconut oil instead of olive oil. If it’s solid, gently warm it and bring it and all other ingredients to room temperature, before using. For the wine, choose a crisp Riesling.

SPICY VEGGIE MARINADE

For spicy hot, use a few hot peppers in addition to or as a substitution for the bell pepper. These peppers work well: jalapeno, Serrano, Chili Pepper. Try habanero or Scotch Bonnet peppers for a super-hot marinade. You can also add red pepper flakes and/or chipotle pepper.

Megatag: Marinade Recipes Wet Brine the secret to the juiciest, most tender BBQ. Use a variety of fresh vegetables and herbs for the tastiest marinades and brines.